doilum

A good read but not much help for A3 history.

This is more complicated than I thought. Although there are no lists, Yeadon's Registrar has photos of the corridor tender brand new on spoked wheels, or correct for the FS as modelled by Hachette. This is confirmed by the Finney 7 website which says that the swap to disc wheels was done when they were reallocated to the A4s. A Google search for Gresley tenders disc wheels led me to an RM thread from 2015 on Book Law. Seems that the disc wheels for the A4 swap were taken from the NT units which replaced them, making spoked wheels correct for the non corridor streamlined (NT) tenders. Just to complicate further, Finney 7 recommend disc wheels for their GN tender!

Despite lots of reading I have not come across such a list and have worked on the premise that the GN tenders were spoked and the streamlined were disc. The RTCS green book confirms this but adds that, post war, some tenders were rebuilt with the other type of wheel. If you repost the question in the Prototype Questions section you might have more luck. Perhaps the Finney 7 modellers might be able to advise. The interesting thing is that the Hachette researchers did an apparently too good a job using the preserved FS resulting in the firebox blackhead ( plastic) being LHD. I would have assumed that the current tender has disc wheels so why did they commission spoked wheels for the kit?

I was able to open and read the historic posts. Much of the received wisdom is repeated on my St Frusquin post. Much of the rest is concerned with the issues surrounding the delivery of magazines and components and the various "issues" that Hachette resolved along the way.

Try a Google search. Hachette flying Scotsman RM web. This is how I did my research last year. Just checked, still working.

At the risk of giving the worms in the can too much daylight,: don't forget some locking compound on moving parts.

Are you sure about 1860? The Wiki article mentions 1890. If it was the earlier date 1859 is first year of production at MW. I cannot find any MW originally called " Hero". There are three: Rutland, Malvern and Ruthin that date to 1860 and worked in this area.

It was a long time ago in my early 4mm days. I had associated 3H with the larger scale. It was probably my first non Airfix kit and needed half filling with lead shot to remain stable. Worst thing was I had invested in a rake of three!

Absolutely true to modelling prototype. The Ratio coke hopper proved to be a better looker than runner and has been stuck on a ridiculously short siding with a couple of random cripples.

Or try trimming the cocktail stick off square and fix the nut to the end with double sided tape. Alternatively, make a small tube of masking tape on the end of the stick to hold the nut until the thread bites. Best advice though, find a suitable tray on which to work ( the larger presentation trays of Ferrera Rocher are perfect) to catch the little blighters as they try and escape.

Excellent post. All I need for Christmas is someone to come up with a similar find for " The Hills of Heaven"!

I believe the super test comes at ten years. There may be also tax penalties after this point too. Their loss our gain. My first MX5 came rust free and fully loaded with extras rarely seen on UK models.

Just don't leave the masking tape too long!

There was nothing wrong with cornering on three wheels. Another car that failed to kill me despite a hooligan approach to driving!

The rallycross cars were very special machines. If I recall correctly the shell I described was an all steel fair with a Mater roll cage and a custom floor pan. I think it had a solid rear axle from a Manta or even a Kadett B and standard Astra front end just to make it mobile.

They were certainly involved in the rallycross cars.

That might have been the guy. For reasons safely lost in the mists of time this shell spent several weeks in my garage. I remember the owner turning up one night with the guy he had sold it to and we pulled the rolling shell up the drive with my Dutton as it was too narrow for his truck.

I had forgotten about group S. The Astra / Kadett was a Russelheim project that had a competitive run on the Paris Dakar. The prototype group S rolling shell ended up back in the UK but I can't rember the name of the guy who bought it and completed the project.

Maybe the Italian mille had only 1000 yards! To be fair 10% error was expected on analogue speedometers and 15% at the top end quite probable. This needs to be kept in mind especially when listening to tall tales in old Fords.

As a student, one my friends had a Victor estate ( his dad had a garage and he always had something to run around in). On Wednesday afternoon we would go down into central Birmingham ( visit the library / go guitar window shopping / check out the bargain bin at the newly opened Virgin Records) and as we progressed down New Street fellow students would flag us down for a lift. By the time we turned into Corporation Street and made the final pick up outside Rackham's the back seat was full and tail gate Charlies brought the total to eight or nine. Happy Days!!

Like my Lambretta that showed a good 80 two up????

The early four speed carb model was a bit more sophisticated than it was given credit for. Aggressive front geometry settings made it drive like a big go kart with incredible turn in on dry tarmac. If however a wheel strayed on to a wet verge ( at speed) things got a bit hairy unlike the old rwd RS which took a grass road extension in its stride. Over time the settings were "softened" back to almost standard making the steering lighter and more idiot proof. Later cars also dispensed with the array of warning systems for brake pad wear and oil level. Made down to the bean counters orders these early warning systems became unreliable as the car aged.

Back in late 80s when Ford had failed to deliver a new Clubman's rally car there were several BTRDA competitors who had reshelled their venerable MK2 into a MK3 shell. Getrag did an expensive one and their were a couple of other firms who could supply a kit of bits for those with the necessary welding skills. GM built prototype 4WD Astra's using the engine from the Manta 400 but the project was canned when group B was outlawed and group A was the way to go.

For the same reason that I might post / read a thread on " those interested in old steam railways". There is nothing wrong with a little nostalgia, especially when recalling a well misspent youth, but . let's not be too critical of modern machines with guaranteed first time starting in any weather, ridiculous road holding and secure braking. A few years ago I was making " excellent progress" along the B6265 near Fountains Abbey in my wife's Astra estate (a 1.7 diesel with 200K + mileson the clock) when I had a blasphemous thought. Perhaps the old RS 2000 of my hooligan youth might have struggled to match my pace. A gave my head a good shake lest I spoil any happy memories.

Just for the record. I also had one of very late Escort GTi. Fully special ed with half leather trim from the Cosworth it might have been the best escort we had. It was the fastest, most economical ( if kept below 85+mph it returned 40+ mpg four up) If only they had given it some proper sports geometry at the front. On sweeping A roads it's sweet speed was 50,mph. The XR3i that preceded it did 60. That said we had it from almost new for ten years and apart from eating a pair of front suspension arms and tyres every 9000 miles or so it never failed. Recently I have spotted one or two that have suddenly reappeared in immaculate condition. That has made me smile.